As the New York Giants gear up for their upcoming showdown against the Arizona Cardinals, all eyes will be fixated on their offensive line. Following a disappointing week where QB Daniel Jones was sacked seven times, hit 12 times, and faced immense pressure on 62.9% of his throws, it is evident that the Cardinals will go after the quarterback relentlessly.
The Arizona Cardinals have a fierce pass rush
In their recent matchup against the Washington Commanders, the Cardinals recorded a staggering six sacks from five different players on Washington QB Sam Howell. They also had three forced turnovers. This performance sends a clear message to the Giants’ offensive line: prepare for a relentless Cardinals pass rush.
The offensive line needs to keep their eyes on 29-year-old linebacker Dennis Gardeck. He had two sacks against the Commanders, which included a strip sack that led to a touchdown. The last time Gardeck met with the Giants, he had two sacks and a fumble recovery. The offensive line must find ways to neutralize Gardeck’s pass-rushing abilities in order to protect Daniel Jones.
Beating a Jonathan Gannon-led defense
However, it’s not only Gardeck the Giants need to worry about. The Cardinals are now led by first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon, a familiar face to Big Blue. Gannon was previously the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles for the past two seasons and he knows how to put pressure on an offensive line.
In the Giants’ last clash with a Gannon-led Eagles defense, Jones was sacked five times, hit six times, and pressured on over 31% of his dropbacks. Gannon will attempt to take advantage of this weak offensive line once again.
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The Giants’ offensive line could be missing a key component
With some questions surrounding the health of superstar left tackle Andrew Thomas, the offensive line could be without their best player. With the right side of the line already struggling after Evan Neal and Mark Glowinski gave up a combined 17 pressures in the previous matchup against division-rival Dallas Cowboys, this offensive line needs to quickly make drastic improvements.
The Giants cannot afford a repeat performance from their offensive line if they aim to secure a victory against the Arizona Cardinals. Protecting Daniel Jones and giving him enough time to make his throws is crucial to this team’s success. The performance of the offensive line in this game will not only shape the outcome of this matchup but will also impact the team’s productivity in future games.
With a matchup against a dominant San Francisco 49ers team looming around the corner, this Week 2 matchup becomes a must-win game for Big Blue. The Giants need their offensive line to prove that they can hold their own against a formidable Cardinals defensive front.